PDF Maps on Discovery Channel

Ted Florence

Posted 11 January 2012 - 01:48 PM

Ted Florence

Master Contributor

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203 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Toronto

Interests:Making great mapping software.

Canada

Hi everyone.I just spent a few hours this morning at the Discovery Channel studios here in Toronto filming a short piece for the Daily Planet Show ( http://www.discovery....aspx?sid=13287 ) on our PDF Maps app.It will be airing tonight at 7pm and 11pm eastern time in Canada on the Discovery Channel.Not sure when/if it will make it to the US or overseas but they did promise it will be on their website tomorrow.Check it out.Ted

Posted 11 January 2012 - 02:43 PM

That's pretty cool. Congratulations. I'll have to check it out on their site once its up. I'm hopeful that continued exposure for the app will translate into increased demand for this type of work.

I've been meaning to email Avenza about the in app map-store but maybe this is a good place to post this. I've noticed that the navigation for maps to download or purchase is fairly simple and doesn't differentiate between free scanned maps (like USGS topos or other scanned paper maps) and maps produced specifically for the app or as GeoPDFs. As a user scans for maps of a particular area all maps are shown together regardless of the type of map or map scale. This means maps designed to target specific users in specific regions are lost in a sea of free scanned paper maps making it hard to tell what you are looking at until you buy.

Is there any chance that Avenza might update the store to separate "public domain" style maps from ones created exclusively for mobile devices and the Maps App?

Ted Florence

Posted 11 January 2012 - 05:42 PM

Thanks for the comments Dave. I will post a link to the online version of the show tomorrow when I receive it.

The current version of PDF Maps has the ability to turn categories on and off when searching so that a user can remove topographic or aeronautical maps from a search for example. This does make it easier especially in areas for which there are a lot of maps. We are planning on introducing some functionality later to somehow separate the free and for-pay maps as well.

RegardsTed

That's pretty cool. Congratulations. I'll have to check it out on their site once its up. I'm hopeful that continued exposure for the app will translate into increased demand for this type of work.

I've been meaning to email Avenza about the in app map-store but maybe this is a good place to post this. I've noticed that the navigation for maps to download or purchase is fairly simple and doesn't differentiate between free scanned maps (like USGS topos or other scanned paper maps) and maps produced specifically for the app or as GeoPDFs. As a user scans for maps of a particular area all maps are shown together regardless of the type of map or map scale. This means maps designed to target specific users in specific regions are lost in a sea of free scanned paper maps making it hard to tell what you are looking at until you buy.

Is there any chance that Avenza might update the store to separate "public domain" style maps from ones created exclusively for mobile devices and the Maps App?

Ted Florence

Posted 12 January 2012 - 10:42 AM

Ted Florence

Master Contributor

Validated Member

203 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Toronto

Interests:Making great mapping software.

Canada

So here is an update following my appearance on Daily Planet last night.PDF Maps is now #1 in free navigation apps for iPad and #3 in free navigation apps for iPhone, in the Canadian app store.Downloads of the app went up 11,000% last night and map downloads went up about 4 times.Things are really starting to happen and we encourage all you map-makers out there to to sign up for the map store and help make PDF Maps the true iTunes-for-maps solution for the 21st century.

Thanks for the comments Dave. I will post a link to the online version of the show tomorrow when I receive it.

The current version of PDF Maps has the ability to turn categories on and off when searching so that a user can remove topographic or aeronautical maps from a search for example. This does make it easier especially in areas for which there are a lot of maps. We are planning on introducing some functionality later to somehow separate the free and for-pay maps as well.

RegardsTed

That's pretty cool. Congratulations. I'll have to check it out on their site once its up. I'm hopeful that continued exposure for the app will translate into increased demand for this type of work.

I've been meaning to email Avenza about the in app map-store but maybe this is a good place to post this. I've noticed that the navigation for maps to download or purchase is fairly simple and doesn't differentiate between free scanned maps (like USGS topos or other scanned paper maps) and maps produced specifically for the app or as GeoPDFs. As a user scans for maps of a particular area all maps are shown together regardless of the type of map or map scale. This means maps designed to target specific users in specific regions are lost in a sea of free scanned paper maps making it hard to tell what you are looking at until you buy.

Is there any chance that Avenza might update the store to separate "public domain" style maps from ones created exclusively for mobile devices and the Maps App?

I am working on publishing Gatineau Park trail maps for your app. Still need to work on the business model. Free or paid, and if not free; the pricing model, can it generate a revenue flow like paper maps etc...
Also working on design issues.
I have lots of questions but I will address those to the folks at Avenza.

Ted Florence

Posted 13 January 2012 - 04:18 PM

Ted Florence

Master Contributor

Validated Member

203 posts

Gender:Male

Location:Toronto

Interests:Making great mapping software.

Canada

Thanks Jacques. Glad you liked it and can appreciate the merit of the PDF Maps solution.The grandiose plan is to effectively do for maps what Kindle and iBooks have done for books.Your Gatineau map and any others you have are anxiously awaited for the map store and honestly, for some reason there have been a lot of inquires this week for more Canadian parks maps. We will be happy to answer what ever questions you have regarding the business model, pricing and anything else so give us a call or email when you want.RegardsTed

Well done on the interview!

As for your app, the more users the better. The more maps the better.

I am working on publishing Gatineau Park trail maps for your app. Still need to work on the business model. Free or paid, and if not free; the pricing model, can it generate a revenue flow like paper maps etc...Also working on design issues.I have lots of questions but I will address those to the folks at Avenza.